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G4TNU > NEWS 26.09.26 23:45l 263 Lines 12869 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
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Subj: RSGB Main News - 27 Sep 2026
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GB2RS Main News for Sunday the 27th of October 2026
The news headlines:
* Entry to the RSGB 2027 Construction Competition is now open!
* RadCom from the 1990s is now available in the RSGB app
* One week left to buy your RSGB Convention ticket
The Society is pleased to have launched the RSGB 2027 Construction
Competition. This is a fantastic opportunity for RSGB members,
wherever they are in the world, to get involved in designing and
building. Whether you're looking for an outlet for your creativity,
wanting a fresh challenge to work on in your spare time or simply
looking for the motivation to finish a homebrew project you have
already started, the RSGB Construction Competition is the perfect
excuse. Are you looking to inspire others to get involved in amateur
radio? If so, our two more recent categories, Reimagination and
Outreach, are the ideal way. Overall, there are seven different
judging categories, so there really is something for everyone.
Whether you're a newcomer to amateur radio, a serial constructor, or
want to push yourself in a new direction, be it software or hardware
– it's time to get those construction ideas flowing! Cash prizes will
be awarded to winners and runners up, and entry is open until the 1st
of March 2027. Full details of the competition and inspiration from
previous years' entrants can be found via
rsgb.org/construction-competition
The Society has just released an additional set of RadCom back issues
to the RSGB app, available for the web and on mobile devices. RSGB
members can now browse all the editions from January 1990 through to
December 1999. This creates an even more valuable resource of amateur
radio publications for members, who now can enjoy over 425 editions
of RadCom. If you haven't explored the RSGB app recently, visit
rsgb.org/radcom to get started.
Attending the RSGB 2026 Convention gives you access to knowledge,
learning and networking opportunities that aren't available at any
other event in the UK this year. The extensive programme includes
expert speakers such as Heather Nickalls, M0HMO; Brian Coleman,
G4NNS; Steven Dodd, M0SNZ; and Peter Duffet-Smith, GM3XJE, to name
just a few. You can view the full programme, including lectures that
are being delivered as part of the AMSAT-UK Colloquium, by going to
rsgb.org/convention If you are a younger radio amateur, you'll find
a series of youth-specific events including a series of lightning
talks, a youth POTA activation and a youth dinner on the Saturday
evening. For radio amateurs looking to start the weekend festivities
early, you have a number of activities to take part in on Friday the
9th of October, from visiting the National Museum of Computing to
joining an amateur radio pub-style quiz in the conference centre bar
in the evening. You'll find details of all these activities, plus
more, on the RSGB Convention web pages. Online ticketing closes at
9am on Monday the 5th of October so make sure you buy your ticket to
guarantee your place. The RSGB Convention takes place between the 9th
and 11th of October at Kents Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes.
The next RSGB Tonight<at>8 webinar is by the Society's Maker Champion
Tom Wardill, M9TWM on Monday the 5th of October. Tom believes that
amateur radio has never been in such a good place in terms of the
availability of tools, supplies, and connections. He will give you a
quick guide on what is available to the average home user, from SMT
components and PCB fabs to 3D-printed cases, or to test equipment
that was only available to IBM and HP just a few years ago. He'll
discuss where to look, how to source, and how to get help with the
tools you need to make the projects that you've written off as too
complicated. You can join the livestream via the RSGB YouTube channel
and special BATC channel, allowing you to watch and ask questions
online. Find out more by going to rsgb.org/webinars
Have you tried one of the RSGB's National Coding Week activities? If
you took part and would like to be included in a special feature in
RadCom, send your photos and a short summary of your activity to
ncw.coordinator<at>rsgb.org.uk by the 30th of September. All coding
activities will remain on the RSGB website via rsgb.org/coding so
whether you want to do something new just for fun or find a way to
use programming within your current amateur radio interests, you'll
find something to try!
Don't forget to listen out for all of the stations that are operating
during the annual Railways on the Air event today, the 27th. Bishop
Auckland Amateur Radio Club coordinates this event and you can read
more at rota.barac.org.uk
Please send details of all your news and events to
radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk The deadline for submissions is 10am on
Thursdays before the Sunday broadcast each week.
And now for details of rallies and events
The Broadcast Engineering Museum has an open day on Sunday the 4th of
October from 11am. The museum is located at 41 Capper Avenue,
Hemswell Cliff, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5XS. The museum
is home to one of the largest collections of historic broadcasting
equipment in the world. For more information visit becg.org.uk/events
Also on Sunday the 4th of October, the Welsh Radio Rally will take
place at Llanwern [HLAN-WERN] High School, Hartridge Farm Road,
Newport, NP18 2YE, South Wales. The doors open to traders at 7am and
to the public at 9.30am. Admission costs GBP 3. The rally will
include technical talks, a bring-and-buy area and a raffle. For more
information email welshradiorally<at>icloud.com
Now the Special Event news
Huntingdonshire Amateur Radio Society is running special event
station GB2RMR today, the 27th at the Riverside Miniature Railway,
Riverside Park in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. Operators will be active
from 9.30am until 4pm on the HF, VHF and UHF bands. More information
is available via QRZ.com
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Belgian National Railway
Company, special callsign OT26B is active until the 31st of December.
The line between Brussels and Mechelen [MEH-KUH-LUHN] opened in 1835
and was the first steam-powered public railway in continental Europe.
QSL via OR4K.
Now the DX news
Members of Guisborough and District Amateur Radio Club are active
from the Isle of Lewis today, the 27th. Listen out for the MS0NYM
callsign on the 40 to 10m bands using CW, FT4, FT8 and SSB. More
information is available via QRZ.com
Toni, W5RCX and Tom, K0YA are active as V47RCX and V47YA,
respectively, from St. Kitts, NA-104, until Wednesday the 30th of
September. They are operating using CW, FT8 and SSB on the HF and 6m
bands. QSL via Logbook of the World and to their home calls.
Now the contest news
The CQ World Wide DX RTTY Contest started at 0000UTC yesterday, the
26th, and ends at 2359UTC today, Sunday the 27th of September. Using
RTTY on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the
exchange is signal report and CQ zone. The UK is in zone 14.
Also today, the 27th, the UK Microwave Group High Band Contest runs
from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 5.7 and 10GHz frequencies,
the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
On Monday the 28th of September, the RSGB FT4 Series Contest runs
from 1900 to 2100UTC. Using FT4 on the 80 to 10m bands, where
contests are permitted, the exchange is your report.
On Wednesday the 30th of September, the United Kingdom and Ireland
Contest Club 80m Contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using CW on the
80m band, the exchange is your six-character locator.
The Oceania DX SSB Contest starts at 0600UTC on Saturday the 3rd and
ends at 0600UTC on Sunday the 4th of October. Using SSB on the 160 to
10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal
report and serial number.
On Saturday the 3rd of October, the RSGB 1.2GHz Trophy runs from 1400
to 2200UTC. Using all modes on the 23cm band, the exchange is signal
report, serial number and locator.
Also on Saturday the 3rd of October, the RSGB 2.3GHz Trophy runs from
1400 to 2200UTC. Using all modes on the 13cm band, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
The RSGB and IARU October 432MHz to 245GHz Contests start at 1400UTC
on Saturday the 3rd and end at 1400UTC on Sunday the 4th of October.
Using all modes on 432MHz to 245GHz frequencies, the exchange is
signal report, serial number and locator.
On Sunday the 4th of October, the UK Microwave Group Millimetre Band
Contest runs from 0800 to 1700UTC. Using all modes on 24 to 76GHz
frequencies, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator.
Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO
on Wednesday the 23rd of September 2026.
As we head towards the end of September, we are seeing daytime
maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs, starting to climb. The daytime
MUF over 3,000km is reaching 12m and is just touching 10m at times.
Within a few weeks we can expect it to reach 10m on a regular basis,
perhaps bringing transatlantic QSOs to 28MHz once again.
Meanwhile, we can make the most of the openings on the 17, 15 and 12m
bands, which are showing promise with increasing propagation to Asia,
North Africa, South Africa and South America.
The solar flux index is hanging in there. Last week it fell to 96 but
then rebounded back into the low 100s. There are currently eight
sunspot groups visible on the Sun. The good news is that geomagnetic
conditions have been calm, with the Kp index mostly in the ones and
twos.
That could soon change, however, thanks to a large coronal hole on
the Sun's surface.
These are dark, cool and less dense regions in the Sun's outer
atmosphere, when viewed in ultraviolet, with open magnetic field
lines. This one stretches from the solar equator to its pole. There
are also two coronal holes following it, which may cause more
problems.
With the equinox, we often see more auroral activity, due to the
Earth-Sun alignment and the Russell-McPherron effect.
Once auroral conditions clear, the Kp index should return to normal,
with a Kp of 2 predicted from Monday the 28th of September onwards.
The solar flux index may even improve slightly, with a forecast solar
flux index of 115 towards the end of the month.
Make the most of the HF conditions by working one of the DX stations
on the air. You can choose from 5W0AF in Samoa; JD1BON and friends on
the Ogasawara Islands; OX3LX in Greenland; FR/F1TEQ and FH/F1TEQ from
Reunion and Mayotte [MAY-YOT]; and 8Q7JH operating from the Maldives.
And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO
Recently, the overall characteristic of the weather in southern areas
has been one of high pressure, giving some occasional tropo. This
region of high pressure will drift away by this weekend as a deep low
over the northern Atlantic drives a weakening cold front south, so
any major tropo will probably not survive into the coming week. The
rest of the period looks generally unsettled.
The northern half of Britain will have the more active part of any
weather system crossing the country and therefore will also have a
better chance of some rain scatter on the GHz bands.
This time of the year we often get some very active Atlantic storms.
Although they may not cross the UK directly, they may be close enough
for severe gales and damaging winds in northwestern areas by the
middle of the coming week. It is a good time to make sure your
antenna guys are in good shape and keep an eye on the forecasts.
There are no major meteor showers in the period so, once again, any
activity is likely to be random, and this is typically best in the
hours just before dawn.
The prospect for auroras is a little more interesting since we are
now just past the equinox of the 22nd of September. It's a
preferential time to be alert for auroras due to the way the Earth's
magnetic field aligns better with the Sun's magnetic field. This
makes it easier for the solar wind to get through and create auroras.
EME now, and Moon declination went positive at Moonset on Friday the
25th of September. This means we'll see lengthening Moon windows and
higher peak Moon elevation into the coming week. Path losses continue
to fall. 144MHz sky noise starts the week low, increasing to moderate
by Friday the 2nd of October.
And that's all from the propagation team this week.
And that's the end of the main news for this week prepared by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Items for inclusion in subsequent
bulletins can be emailed to radcom<at>rsgb.org.uk to arrive by
10:00 on the Thursday before transmission.
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